This invention relates to a system of combining any one of a plurality of driving modules (e.g., electric motors, intermediate speed changers, or the like) with any one of a plurality of driven modules (e.g., a speed reducer or an end application).
It will be understood that in the mechanical power transmission field, manufacturers of power transmission units manufacture and stock a wide variety of completely assembled units. Different drivers (or driving units, i.e., the motors) may be combined with any number of combinations of variable speed transmissions and/or gear reducers such that the overall or assembled unit meets the particular requirements specified by the end user. For example, a manufacturer may have a variety of different types of drivers (electric motors), in a wide range of horsepower ratings. Types of motors may include open drip-proof motors, totally enclosed fan cooled motors, explosion-proof motors, motors made of special corrosion-proof materials, and the like. Likewise, there may be a wide variety of variable speed transmissions and gear reduction units (referred to generally as driven units) powered by these electric motors. For example, a variable speed belt drive may be coupled with a particular motor. Alternatively, the motor may be coupled to a right angle worm gear reducer, a parallel shaft gear reducer, an eddy current drive, a vertical parallel shaft gear reducer, a variable speed traction drive, a helical shaft mount reducer, a worm/helical gear reducer, a bevel/helical gear reducer, and the like. These driven units are provided in a range of horsepower ratings and mechanical service factors compatible with the motor selected. Many times, it is not uncommon for one driving unit (an electric motor) to be coupled with a first driven unit (e.g., a variable speed belt drive), with the latter having an output shaft which in turn is coupled to still another driven unit. For example, a totally enclosed fan cooled motor may be coupled to a variable speed belt drive unit, which in turn is coupled to a helical gear shaft mount reducer which in turn drives an application. In this manner, the final output speed of the helical gear shaft mount reducer may be infinitely adjusted by adjusting the variable belt drive speed reducer, and yet obtaining the desired torque and horsepower output.
The necessity to provide completely assembled power transmission units (e.g., a motor/drive/gear unit) in a wide variety of horsepower ratings a; and output speeds and service factors has, heretofore, required that large finished goods inventories be carried in stock such that, upon receiving an order, a complete unit comprised of the motor, speed changer, and/or gear reducer of the proper type and horsepower and output speed be readily available to fill the order. While it has long been recognized as an expensive requirement to maintain this large inventory of completely assembled units in stock, it has been considered a necessity so that the manufacturer can rapidly respond to orders from customers without the necessity of having to delay filling the order while one or more of the components are manufactured.
Reference may be made to the now expired, co-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 3,434,366, disclosing a modular drive and gear reduction unit.
At the present time, a different motor end is required for each type and size of integral gearmotor, mechanical variable speed drive, eddy current clutch, and other driven units. For example, in a right angle worm gearmotor product line, there may be seven different horsepower ratings of the gearmotor, with each of these seven different horsepower gearmotors being available in any one of 10 different speed ratios. This necessitates the number of right angle worm gearmotors stocked to be equal to seventy. To be able to fill an order in short order (i.e., two working days or less), it is necessary that all seventy of these different gearmotors be carried in stock.
There has been a long-standing need for a construction of driving modules and driven modules which allows a meaningful reduction in the amount of finished goods that must be carried in stock to economically permit a manufacturer to rapidly fill orders (i.e., within two working days).